Improvement in hame-strap attachments



.l. THORNTON.v

Hams-Strap Attachments. NO.152,928. PatentedJulyM, U874.

"IE SRAPHlG CO PHOTO-TH. 19

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

' JAMES THORNTON, OF WELLSVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH HIS RIGHT TO PRATT & LETOHVVORTH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAME- STRAP ATTACHMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,928, dated July 14, 1874; application filed March 21, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMEs THORNTON, of Wellsville, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented a certain Improved Hame-Strap Attachment, of which the following is a specification My invention relates to that class of couplin gs for the upper ends of hames which consist of metallic loops arranged on the hames and connected together by a leathern strap, the loops being made vertically adj ustable on the hames by various means, while the leathern strap operates as a key to hold the loop in engagement with the means attached to the hame for retaining it in place. As the strap is required to be removed from the loop in order to change the position of the latter, which disconnects the hames at the top, the latter are liable to fall down, while the adjustment of the loop is rendered more or less inconvenient, as the hames have to be supported and the loops of both held in place by the hands while the strap is being re-engaged therewith. The object of my improvement is to avoid these difficulties; and the invention consists in the attachment to the coupling-strap of a key or wedge that can be readily engaged and disengaged from the loop for releasing and securing the same, without requiring the strap itself to be detached.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, with the key in a locking position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with key disengaged. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the hame, showing a plan of the loop and coupling-strap. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the locking key.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in each of the figures.

A is the hame, B, the loop fitting on the same; G, the leathern coupling-strap, and D the key. The sides of. the loop on the inside are represented in the drawings as formed with a notch, I), while the sides of the hame are provided with a series of studs or projecting pins, which allow theloop to he slid up and down over them, when the notches b are made to coincide therewith, and which prevent this movement of the loop when the coupling-strap and key are engaged with the loop so as to destroy this coincidence. This device, with the exception of the key D, is fully shown and described in another application filed contemporaneously with this, and

serves to illustrate the class of loop-attachments to which my locking-key is applicable, various other more or less analogous means being in common use for the purpose of holding and adjusting the loop on the hame, The

key D is represented in the form of a hook provided with a loop, d, through which passes the coupling-strap, and by which the key is held in connection therewith. Any other suitable means, however, for attaching the key to the strap may be employed. It is obvious that this locking key is applicable to any kind of device in which the couplingstrap forms the key for retaining the loop in engagement with the fastening device attached to the hame. The only change required in such cases is the elongation of the loop so that it can be releasedwithout (lisconnecting the coupling-strap therefrom. The insertion and removal of the keyD, operating to lock and release the loop in the same manner as the engagement and disconnection of the coupling-strap previously did. The key D is readily engaged and disengaged from the loop by handling it as you would an ordinary hook. After the key is released it can be easily slid back on the strap until it is required to be replaced. The hook or key also serves to protect the coupling-strap from the wear of the loop.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with a hame, hame-loop, and coupling-strap, of the locking-key, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore i set forth.

2; The arrangement with loop B and coupling-strap of the key D, provided with a loop, d, for attaching it to the couplingstrap, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

JAMES THORNTON.

TVitnesscs J. J. BONNER,

E. HODDICK. 

